The School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management offers graduate programs leading to the following degrees:

Master of Science with a major in hospitality management, and

Master of Science with a major in merchandising.

The School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management, in collaboration with the College of Business Administration, offers the following dual degrees:

Master of Business Administration/Master of Science with a major in hospitality management, and

Master of Business Administration/Master of Science with a major in merchandising.

The programs of study for the Master of Science degrees in merchandising and hospitality management are offered as resident programs as well as totally web-based programs.

These graduate programs are designed to meet personnel needs in product merchandising and hospitality management. These two fields of study represent high growth global industries with increasing demands for highly skilled leaders who can solve complex problems, create new opportunities in very competitive markets, and have a holistic understanding of the many components that support a successful business venture. Teaching and research focus on the broad concepts of products, service, resource management, information-exchange technology and total experience management in consumer-driven global markets. Close proximity to a major apparel and home furnishings market complex, major retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, major hotels, restaurants, and food service businesses provides excellent affiliations and internship opportunities. The Dallas-Fort Worth region is the headquarters for numerous retail, lodging and restaurant companies.

The School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management operates as one unit but is organized into divisions based on the following programs.

Hospitality Management

The mission of the division of hospitality management is to educate students for management and leadership positions in the hospitality industry and to contribute to the profession through teaching excellence, research, publication, consultation and related service activities. Lea Dopson is chair of the division of hospitality management.

Merchandising

The mission of the division of merchandising is to integrate educational experiences and research that contribute to critical analyses of merchandising strategies as they relate to the development, distribution, evaluation and use of products that are fashion-oriented and undergo continuous change in the consumer-driven global market. Tammy Kinley is chair of the division of merchandising.

Degree Plan

The degree plan is developed in consultation with the student's major professor to meet the specific student needs and career objectives.

Research

Research in the hospitality management division includes hotel and restaurant operations; legal and regulatory aspects; cost containment; and consumer issues impacting the hospitality industry. Other research interests include quality issues, managerial competencies, food safety, nutrition and dining habits of consumers, tourism, and hospitality education and administration.

Research in the merchandising division focuses on consumer-driven markets and market segmentation for fashion-oriented products. Specific emphases are on merchandising in domestic and global markets and to specific demographic segments. Additional research focuses on service quality, cross-cultural consumer analyses, non-store retailing, e-commerce, retail employee professional development, evaluative criteria, experiential retailing and tourism shopping, garment size issues, and brand quality.

Financial Assistance

Numerous scholarships are available to SMHM majors. Students may apply for financial awards from a wide range of national, state, university and school resources. Please check the SMHM web site for specific information and guidelines at www.smhm.unt.edu.

A limited number of graduate teaching assistantships and teaching fellowships are available in the school. Contact the Office of the Dean for information.

Degree Programs

Master of Science with a Major in Hospitality Management

Admission Requirements

The student must meet the requirements for admission to the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies. Included in these requirements are:

a bachelor's degree from an accredited university;

an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 for the last 60 semester hours of course work or a 2.8 GPA on all undergraduate work;

acceptable scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the GMAT must be submitted with application to the Graduate School (GRE or GMAT score must be less than 10 years old.);

a demonstrated proficiency in oral and written English; and

a minimum of 24 semester hours of undergraduate work in hospitality management or the equivalent; 12 of the 24 hours must be advanced. Students who do not meet the requirements must complete specified prerequisite courses in hospitality management during the first semester in the graduate program, earning a grade no lower than B.

In addition, to be considered for admission into the hospitality management program, students need to submit the following to the SMHM Graduate Programs Coordinator:

three letters of recommendation from employers or teachers;

a resume; and

a professional essay that addresses the student's motivation and perseverance toward educational goals, academic or professional honors, recognitions and awards, and a demonstrated commitment to the field of study.

Degree Requirements

The student must earn a minimum of 36 semester hours.

SMHM Hospitality Management Core (9 hours)

SMHM 5300, Research Methods in Merchandising and Hospitality Management

SMHM 5400, Research Applications in Merchandising and Hospitality Management

Minor (6-9 hours)

The thesis option requires 6 hours in a minor area. The non-thesis option requires a minor of 6 or 9 hours.

A minor consists of course work taken in one subject area outside of hospitality management. A 9-hour minor must have consent of the division chair and the student's major professor. Suggested minors are marketing, management, finance, education, computer education and cognitive systems, and decision sciences.

Thesis Option or Non-Thesis Option

The student will select one of the following options.

Thesis Option: This option requires a minimum of 36 semester hours with 24 hours in the student's major area, 6 hours of SMHM 5950, Master's Thesis. The minor must have a minimum of 6 hours in one subject prefix outside of hospitality management. The student must complete and defend the thesis successfully and submit it for approval.

Non-Thesis Option: This option requires a minimum of 36 semester hours with 24 hours in the student's major area, plus a minor. A minimum of 6 hours must come from one subject prefix outside of hospitality management. The student must pass a written comprehensive exam upon successful completion of all course work.

Online Master of Science with a Major in Hospitality Management

The student must earn a minimum of 36 semester hours.

Online Thesis Option

SMHM Hospitality Management Core (3 hours)

SMHM 5860, Strategic Management in the Hospitality Industry

Research Tools/Minor (6 hours)

EPSY 5050, Educational Research and Evaluation

EPSY 5210, Educational Statistics

Thesis Course (6 hours)

SMHM 5950, Master's Thesis

SMHM Courses (select 15 hours to 21 hours, excluding SMHM 5950)

SMHM 5250, Restaurant Development

SMHM 5280, Hotel and Restaurant Operations: Theory and Analysis

SMHM 5440, Consumer Theory

SMHM 5520, Global Tourism Systems

SMHM 5550, Promotional Strategies

SMHM 5600, Managing Customer Experiences

SMHM 5630, Event Management

SMHM 5700, Service Excellence

SMHM 5790, Field Experience

SMHM 5900-5910, Special Problems

Minor (0-6 hours)

Courses must be approved by SMHM advisor.

Online Non-Thesis Option

SMHM Hospitality Management Core (3 hours)

SMHM 5860, Strategic Management in the Hospitality Industry

Research Tools/Minor (6 hours)

EPSY 5050, Educational Research and Evaluation

EPSY 5210, Educational Statistics

SMHM Courses (select 21 hours to 27 hours, excluding SMHM 5950)

SMHM 5250, Restaurant Development

SMHM 5280, Hotel and Restaurant Operations: Theory and Analysis

SMHM 5440, Consumer Theory

SMHM 5520, Global Tourism Systems

SMHM 5550, Promotional Strategies

SMHM 5600, Managing Customer Experiences

SMHM 5630, Event Management

SMHM 5700, Service Excellence

SMHM 5790, Field Experience

SMHM 5900-5910, Special Problems

Minor (0-6 hours)

Courses must be approved by SMHM advisor.

Master of Science with a Major in Merchandising

Admission Requirements

The student must meet the requirements for admission to the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies. Included in these requirements are:

a bachelor's degree from an accredited university;

an overall undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 for the last 60 semester hours of course work or a 2.8 GPA on all undergraduate work;

acceptable scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the GMAT must be submitted with application. (GRE or GMAT score must be less than 10 years old.);

a demonstrated proficiency in oral and written English; and

a minimum of 24 semester hours of undergraduate work in merchandising, or the equivalent; 12 of the 24 hours must be advanced. Students who do not meet the requirements must complete specified prerequisite courses in merchandising before beginning the graduate program. No single prerequisite course may have a grade lower than a B.

In addition, to be considered for admission into the merchandising program, students need to submit the following to the SMHM graduate coordinator:

three letters of recommendation from employers or teachers;

a resume; and

a professional essay that addresses the student's motivation and perseverance toward educational goals, academic or professional honors, recognitions and awards, and a demonstrated commitment to the field of study.

Degree Requirements

The student must earn a minimum of 36 semester hours.

SMHM Merchandising Core (3 hours)

SMHM 5500 is required for all merchandising majors.

Research Tools (6 hours)

SMHM 5300, Research Methods in Merchandising and Hospitality Management

SMHM 5400, Research Applications in Merchandising and Hospitality Management

Thesis Option or Individual Research Option

The student will select one of the following options.

Thesis Option: This option requires a minimum of 36 hours with 24 hours in the student's major area, including 6 hours of SMHM 5950, Master's Thesis, plus 6 hours of research tools. The minor must have a minimum of 6 hours from a department outside merchandising. The student must complete and defend the thesis successfully and submit it for approval.

Individual Research Option: This option requires a minimum of 36 semester hours with 24-27 hours in the student's major area (including research tools), 6-9 hours in the minor area, plus 3 hours of SMHM 5920, Problem in Lieu of Thesis. A minimum of 6 hours must be from a department outside the School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management. The student must pass a written comprehensive exam upon successful completion of all course work.

Additional Course Work (0-3 hours)

Courses must be approved by SMHM advisor.

MBA/MS with a major in Hospitality Management and MBA/MS with a major in Merchandising

The MBA/MS with a major in hospitality management and the MBA/MS with a major in merchandising each require a total of 54 hours for the dual degree. Hospitality management and merchandising courses are offered face-to-face at the Denton campus in the evening, or online. With approval, 12 hours of graduate work may be transferred from another university.

Admission Requirements

a bachelor's degree from an accredited university;

an overall undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 for the last 60 semester hours of course work or a 2.8 GPA on all undergraduate work;

an acceptable GRE or GMAT score must be submitted with the application (refer to MBA background requirements); GRE or GMAT score must be less than 10 years old;

a score of at least 79-80 on the internet-based TOEFL or an equivalent score depending on manner of test delivery, or a graduate of the Intensive English Language Institute at UNT or an undergraduate or graduate degree from an accredited college/university in the U.S. for applicants whose native language is not English. For a complete list of methods to meet the English proficiency requirement for graduate study at UNT, consult the Admissions section of this catalog or consult the International Admissions Office;

a minimum of 24 semester hours of undergraduate work in the SMHM major or the equivalent; 12 hours of the 24 must be advanced. Students who do not meet the requirements must complete specified prerequisite courses in the selected SMHM major during the first semester with a grade of B or better; and

12 hours of background work are required for the MBA (background requirements for the MBA program are outlined in the College of Business Administration section in this catalog).

In addition, to be considered for admission into the merchandising or hospitality management programs, students need to submit the following to the SMHM Graduate Coordinator:

three letters of recommendation from employers or teachers;

a resume; and

a professional essay that addresses the student's motivation and perseverance toward educational goals, academic or professional honors, recognitions and awards, and a demonstrated commitment to the field of study

Program Requirements

MBA Required Core (18 hours)

ACCT 5130, Accounting for Management

BUSI 5190, Administrative Strategy

DSCI 5180, Introduction to Decision Making

FINA 5170, Financial Management

MGMT 5140, Organizational Behavior and Analysis

MKTG 5150, Marketing Management

Specialization in Business (select one area for 12 hours)

Refer to MBA program for specific requirements for the following:

Accounting

Business Studies

Decision sciences

Decision technology

E-business

Finance

Health services management

Information technology

Logistics and supply chain management

Marketing

Operations and supply chain management

Organizational behavior and human resource management

Strategic management

MS Hospitality Management (24 hours)

Required (6 hours)

SMHM 5300, Research Methods in Merchandising and Hospitality Management

In the required 24 hours, a maximum of 6 hours may be included from the following list:

SMHM 5000, Merchandising and Hospitality Management Study Tour

SMHM 5080, Merchandising Ventures

SMHM 5090, Virtual Merchandising

SMHM 5660, Advanced Merchandising Applications

SMHM 5850, Brand Development

Graduate Academic Certificates

The School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management offers graduate academic certificates in hospitality management, merchandising, and event management. The purpose of these 12-hour graduate certificates is to offer professionals in hospitality, merchandising and retail industries the opportunity to build skills and knowledge in critical analysis and subject content. See the Admissions section of this catalog for admission requirements. Upon advisement of the SMHM graduate advisor and the chair of the respective program (hospitality management or merchandising), the student will complete 12 hours of content-based courses in the area of specialization. All 12 hours must be completed through UNT and with SMHM courses. The courses may be completed in residence, online or a combination of both. The merchandising graduate academic certificate program includes 6 semester hours of core courses: SMHM 5440 and 5500; plus 6 elective hours selected from SMHM 5240, 5520, 5550, 5600, 5650, 5700, 5750 and 5850. The hospitality management graduate academic certificate program includes 6 semester hours of core courses: SMHM 5250 and 5280; plus 6 elective hours selected from SMHM 5350, 5460, 5550, 5700, 5800 and5830. The event management graduate academic certificate program includes SMHM 5550, 5600, 5630 and 5700. SMHM 5800 can be substituted for any course except SMHM 5630 with the approval of the SMHM graduate advisor.

Certificate students who choose to continue in a degree program are required to meet all the requirements, including GPA, GRE or GMAT, and prerequisites, of students seeking a degree in the school. Satisfactory work (minimum of a B grade) on graduate courses for the certificate may be applied to a 36-hour master of science degree program upon advisement of the graduate advisor, division chair, and the student's major professor, who will be selected when proceeding for a degree.

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